DALLAS - Feb. 19, 2013 - Fast-growing EchoLight Studios continues with its multi-million dollar commitment announced this year that supports the next generation of Christian filmmakers. The latest announcement pledges up to $1 million to produce and distribute a new work from the Best Film winner in this year's 168 Film Project. The action follows similar commitments-$250K at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF) and a multi-million dollar production and distribution deal over five years with the Liberty University Cinematic Arts program.

"This is a great leap for the producers of the short films in our contest," said 168 Founder and Director John David Ware. "They move up to making feature-length films, and this is a great encouragement for them to continue to excel."

EchoLight awarded $250,000 on Feb. 9 to fund, co-produce and distribute a new work by the winner in the 2013 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival Short Film category. Brandon Adams' film USELESS took the award. (USELESS also won multiple awards at last year's 168 Film Project, including Best Film, Best Cinematography and Best Acting).

SEE THE AWARD-WINNING SHORT FILM 'USELESS' AT ECHOLIGHT.COM

Earlier this year, EchoLight created an exclusive, multi-million dollar partnership with Liberty University's Cinematic Arts program over five years to produce and distribute at least five movies combining Liberty students, staff and state-of-the-art equipment with EchoLight's veteran producers and other above-the-line personnel.

MORE ON THE 168 FILM PROJECT

In the annual 168 Film Project founded in Hollywood in 2003, filmmakers, writers, actors and crew create a short movie on an assigned theme in just one week. Registered contestants meet May 13, 2013, to draw stones with Bible verses on them. (Participants outside the Southern California area "draw" online.)

What follows is 10 days of pre-production work and one week of shooting and editing (168 hours) to submit a finished film on the theme for the year influenced by the contestant's individual Bible verse. Registration is open now at 168film.com and closes May 11.

"It's an honor to partner with the 168 Film Project, especially because of our mutual goal to illuminate the word of God through film," said Christopher Morrow, chief global strategist at EchoLight Studios.

"These awards build on EchoLight's commitment to not only distribute quality faith and family films but to encourage excellence among the coming generation of filmmakers," said EchoLight President Bobby Downes.

Dallas-based EchoLight is a full-service film production and distribution studio. In addition to the awards supporting new creators, EchoLight distributes the works of established filmmakers in the faith and family genre and produces original works (THE REDEMPTION OF HENRY MYERS, starring FIREPROOF's Erin Bethea, releases next year).

EchoLight Studios is the first vertically integrated Christian movie studio to offer production financing, marketing and distribution across all releasing platforms. Based in Dallas, EchoLight produces and distributes high-quality faith and family-friendly entertainment through a full film distribution platform servicing theatrical, home video, digital/VOD and broadcast in both U.S. domestic and international markets.